A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeys 494: 31–50Parachironomus (2015) Lenz from China and Japan (Diptera, Chironomidae) 31 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.494.6837 RESEARCH ARTICLE http://zookeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research Parachironomus Lenz from China and Japan (Diptera, Chironomidae) Chun-Cai Yan1, Jiao Yan1, Li Jiang1, Qin Guo1, Ting Liu1, Xin-yu Ge1, Xin-Hua Wang2, Bao-ping Pan1 1 Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance,Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China 2 College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China Corresponding author: Chun-Cai Yan ([email protected]) Academic editor: V. Blagoderov | Received 18 December 2013 | Accepted 9 March 2015 | Published 6 April 2015 http://zoobank.org/1AF03AFB-5B0A-4C0A-A2F2-3CC8D52CFA48 Citation: Yan C-C, Yan J, Jiang L, Guo Q, Liu T, Ge X-y, Wang X-H, Pan B-p (2015) Parachironomus Lenz from China and Japan (Diptera, Chironomidae). ZooKeys 494: 31–50. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.494.6837 Abstract Members of the genus Parachironomus Lenz known from China and Japan are revised, and a key to their male adults is given. Parachironomus poyangensis sp. n. is described in this life stage. Parachironomus fre- quens (Johannsen) and P. monochromus (van der Wulp) are recorded from China for the first time, thus are redescribed from Chinese specimens. Parachironomus kamaabeus Sasa & Tanaka and P. toneabeus Sasa & Tanaka are new junior synonyms of P. frequens. Three Chinese or Japanese species formerly placed in Parachironomus are transferred to other genera, resulting in the new combinations Cryptochironomus inafegeus (Sasa, Kitami & Suzuki), Demicryptochironomus (Irmakia) lobus (Yan, Sæther, Jin & Wang), and Microchironomus lacteipennis (Kieffer). Chironomus sauteri Kieffer,Parachironomus kisobilobalis Sasa & Kondo and P. kuramaexpandus Sasa are removed from Parachironomus; the last of these three denotes a valid species of uncertain generic placement, the first two are nomina dubia. Keywords Chironomidae, Parachironomus, new species, new combinations, new synonyms, key Copyright Chun-Cai Yan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. 32 Chun-Cai Yan et al. / ZooKeys 494: 31–50 (2015) Introduction The name Parachironomus was proposed by Lenz (1921) for a genus concept based on larval and pupal characters. Edwards (1929) gave the first brief diagnosis for male imagines. Townes (1945) treated Nearctic species which are now considered as Para- chironomus in “Harnischia (Harnischia)”, but his classification and nomenclature of Chironomini were very different from those in use today (e.g. Cranston et al. 1989; Makarchenko et al. 2006; Sæther and Spies 2013). However, Townes’ designation of Chironomus cryptotomus Kieffer, 1915 as the type ofParachironomus has been accepted as formally valid, even though the taxonomic identity of that species is uncertain (C. cryptotomus Kieffer is a nomen dubium). Among the known genera in the Harnischia group, the genus Parachironomus is closer to Demicryptochironomus Lenz (1941); it is distinguished from the later in having long superior volsella with 2–3 distal setae usu- ally arising from distinct pits, inferior volsella with blunt or pointed caudal projection, while in Demicryptochironomus usually no the setal pits of superior volsella and inferior volsella reduced or absent. Freeman and Cranston (1980) synonymized Kribiocryptus Kieffer, 1921 and Nilo- myia Kieffer, 1921 under Parachironomus Lenz, 1921. However, Spies and Sæther (2004) showed that any name available from Kieffer (1921b, published in June) would take precedence over any name available from Lenz (1921, October). In this situation, using Parachironomus as a valid name could comply with the current rules of nomen- clature (ICZN 1999) only if a special ICZN ruling were to effect an exemption from priority in this case, or if Kribiocryptus and Nilomyia are no longer treated as synony- mous with Parachironomus. The latter classification has been adopted by Sæther and Spies (2013), and is followed here. Lehmann (1970) revised 17 European species and gave a generic diagnosis and key to species. Spies et al. (1994) revised members of the genus from the Neotropical Re- gion, and modified the generic definition. Later,Parachironomus supparilis (Edwards, 1931) was split in three species: P. longistilus Paggi, 1977, P. supparilis (Edwards), and P. valdiviensis Spies (Spies 2008). Spies (2000) studied the Palaearctic P. monochromus (van der Wulp) and the Holarctic P. tenuicaudatus (Malloch) in all stages, and pre- sented a provisional key to adult males from Nearctic Region. Hashimoto et al. (1981) placed six species from Thailand inParachironomus : P. apicalis (Kieffer), P. calopunctus Hashimoto, P. truncatus Hashimoto, P. nakhonpha- nomensis Hashimoto, P. tener (Kieffer), andP. trisetifer Hashimoto). However, if the partially incomplete published descriptions are correct, then all of these forms except possibly P. calopunctus obviously fall outside of the current diagnosis of Parachirono- mus. Moreover, the corresponding material is either lost or inaccessible. Under these circumstances, no species proposed in Hashimoto et al. (1981) is treated as valid in Parachironomus in the present work. Maheshwari and Agarwal (1993) published a Par- achironomus agraensis from India, but insufficient description and inaccessible type -ma terial (M. Spies, pers. comm.) render this yet another nomen dubium in Chironomini. Parachironomus Lenz from China and Japan (Diptera, Chironomidae) 33 Kikuchi and Sasa (1990) described a P. tobaquartus from Indonesia, but several hy- popygial features of that species clearly rule out placement in Parachironomus. Cryp- tochironomus lacteipennis Kieffer and C. sauteri Kieffer were listed in Parachironomus by Sublette and Sublette (1973), along with Chironomus primitivus Johannsen. However, the assignment of genus names used in that work does not match that of today (for example, “Parachironomus” included Microchironomus Kieffer). Moreover, the original description of C. sauteri treats the adult female only; thus the name could not possibly be interpreted by Sublette and Sublette or any recent author without examination of the syntypes (at SDEI, Müncheberg, Germany). Makarchenko et al. (2005) listed nine species from the Russian Far East: P. biannu- latus (Staeger), P. forceps (Townes), P. frequens (Johannsen), P. gracilior (Kieffer) [sub P. arcuatus (Goetghebuer)]. P. monochromus (van der Wulp), P. paradigitalis Brundin, P. parilis (Walker), P. pseudovarus Zorina), and P. vitiosus (Goetghebuer); Zorina in Makarchenko et al. (2006) keyed eight of these species but omitted P. forceps. From 1985–2001, Sasa and various co-authors, and Kobayashi and Suzuki (1999) recorded 11 species from Japan: P. gracilior (Kieffer) [sub P. arcuatus (Goet- ghebuer)], P. harunasecundus Sasa, P. inafegeus Sasa, Kitami & Suzuki, P. inageheus Sasa, Kitami & Suzuki, P. kamaabeus Sasa & Tanaka, P. kisobilobalis Sasa & Kondo, P. kuramaexpandus Sasa, P. monochromus (van der Wulp), P. tamanipparai (Sasa), P. taishoabeus Sasa & Tanaka, and P. toneabeus Sasa & Tanaka). Yamamoto (2010) keyed 7 species from Japan: P. acutus, P. gracilior [sub P. arcuatus], P. kisobilobalis, P. kuramaexpandus, P. monochromus, P. swammerdami (Kruseman) (which might also be P. mauricii (Kruseman) or an unnamed species), and P. tamanipparai (this belongs to Saetheria Jackson; M. Spies, pers. comm.). Based on the present examina- tions, only fpur or five true Parachironomus species appear to be known from Japan: P. frequens (Johannsen), P. gracilior (Kieffer), P. monochromus (van der Wulp), and P. swammerdami (Kruseman); P. acutus (Goetghebuer) is only provisionally placed in the genus at this time. Wang et al. (1977) recorded Cryptochironomus arcuatus Goetghebuer, 1919 (= P. gracilior (Kieffer, 1918)) andCryptochironomus primitivus Johannsen from Hubei Province, China. Wang (2000) listed both species in the genus Parachironomus. How- ever, Cryptochironomus primitivus Johannsen has been treated as a synonym of Micro- chironomus tener (Kieffer) since Sæther (1977). Wang and Ji (2003) recordedPara - chironomus arcuatus (= P. gracilior) in Oriental China (Fujian Province). In addition, Wang (2000) recorded Parachironomus varus (Goetghebuer) from Tianjin, but upon rechecking the specimen we are correcting that identification toP. gracilior. Para- chironomus lobus Yan, Sæther, Jin & Wang was recorded by Yan et al. (2008b) from Hainan Province. According to an examination of type specimens by M. Spies, the species should be placed in the genus Demicryptochironomus. Based on the known descriptions and material from China and Japan, the genus is reviewed, and one new species is described in the adult male stage. A key to adult males from China and Japan is provided. 34 Chun-Cai Yan et al. / ZooKeys 494: 31–50 (2015) Material and methods The material examined was mounted on slides following the procedure outlined by Sæther (1969). The morphological nomenclature follows Sæther (1980) with the ad- ditions and corrections given by Sæther (1990). Measurements are given as ranges fol- lowed by the mean when more than three specimens were measured, followed by the number measured (n) in parentheses. Type material studied is housed in the following institutions: Wang collection, Department